Migranti e consumi: il versante dell'offerta. Strategie di imprenditoria straniera nel settore del commercio alimentare al dettaglio

Abstract

- The phenomenon of consumption among foreigners is becoming increasingly relevant within the Italian context, bringing growing attention from the social sciences. While most studies have focused their attention almost exclusively on the demand side, the study presented here rather tries to deal with the phenomenon from the supply perspective. Here migrants have taken a leading role in the development of an increasingly articulated market addressed to an audience of co-ethnics, and then gradually to a local clientele. The analysis focuses in particular on some economic activities in the retail food business of entrepreneurs of Moroccan origins. Through the empirical study of these activities, the article tries to outline some of the main entrepreneurial strategies of integration, adaptation and innovation of migrant economic activities within the Italian context. On the basis of the cases analysed, some concluding remarks on the phenomenon of foreign entrepreneurship and its possible future developments in Italy are drawn.Keywords Consumption; migrant entrepreneurship; retail trade; ethnic food.

Between transnational engagements and local integration of Chinese communities in Italy: An analysis of the role of migrant organisations

“…Concerning Italy, existing literature reveals that migrant organisations can help to maintain "transnational ways of belonging" by allowing migrants to preserve their cultural roots, by way of example from the Bangladeshi communities (Morad & Della Puppa, 2018). A study on the Senegalese community organisations in Italy illustrated how migrant organisations' transnational engagements could potentially benefit policies on the part of the Italian government (Castagnone et al, 2008).…”